The PhD Project: Colleges cut ties with a little-known nonprofit targeted by the Trump administration over DEI
Earlier DU thread: More than 50 universities face federal investigations as part of Trump's anti-DEI campaign
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Source: Associated Press
Colleges cut ties with a little-known nonprofit targeted by the Trump administration over DEI
By CHEYANNE MUMPHREY and JOCELYN GECKER
Updated 12:27 PM EDT, March 21, 2025
Until recently, it was a little-known program to help Black and Latino students pursue business degrees.
But in January, conservative strategist Christopher Rufo flagged the program known as The PhD Project in social media posts that caught the attention of Republican politicians. The program is now at the center of a Trump administration campaign to root out diversity, equity and inclusion programs in higher education.
The U.S. Education Department last week said it was investigating dozens of universities for alleged racial discrimination, citing ties to the nonprofit organization. That followed a warning a month earlier that schools could lose federal money over “race-based preferences” in admissions, scholarships or any aspect of student life.
The investigations left some school leaders startled and confused, wondering what prompted the inquiries. Many scrambled to distance themselves from The PhD Project, which has aimed to help diversify the business world and higher education faculty.
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Read more: https://apnews.com/article/trump-dei-college-investigation-phd-project-65d5d9bd5a13db89bea730142b467fde